Students rally against deportations

Wednesday

Jun 11, 2014 at 8:38 PM

By Paula J. Owen TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — As President Barack Obama prepared to speak at the Worcester Technical High School commencement Wednesday afternoon, about 100 protesters rallied in front of City Hall against the deportation of immigrants in this country illegally.

Immigrant students from several organizations attended the graduation-themed rally, some wearing caps and gowns, to remind President Obama that hundreds of thousands of students grow up and graduate without their immigrant fathers, mothers and other loved ones.

The protesters said they demand executive action from the president to end the suffering caused by deportation when families are ripped apart.

Many of those who spoke at the rally are in this country illegally or have family members who are here illegally.

Organizers said they knew the president's motorcade would not pass them as it made its way to the DCU Center where Mr. Obama was the keynote speaker at the 4 p.m. ceremony.

They were concerned the U.S. Secret Service would shut the protest down if they got too close to the DCU Center, they said.

Worcester Tech freshman Italo P. Fini, who is living in the country illegally, said all students at the school were invited to hear the president's speech, but he chose to attend the protest instead. He said several Worcester Tech students graduating were also undocumented, but were too scared to say anything.

"I want to send a message to the president," said the 15-year-old from Brazil. "I'm scared to death that my family will be deported every single day.

"We feel Obama has given up. He promised to pass comprehensive immigration reform in 2009, but with our Congress, that is not possible. He needs to use his executive power," Italo said.

Cairo M. Mendes, a 21-year-old immigrant who came to the United States in 2002 from Brazil and has been living here illegally, said he lives in fear every day that his mother will be deported.

"All we're asking is for the opportunity to not live in fear and have relief," he said.

"The U.S. government has enacted global trade treaties that exploit labor and resources in other countries and drive citizens of those countries here," she said. "We need these people here if we are going to have these kinds of trade policies. Corporations are controlling everything and they are the ones driving climate change, immigration policies and mass incarcerations."

Contact Paula Owen at powen@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @PaulaOwenTG